• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Kitchen Laughter logo

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipe Index
  • Resources
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Recipe Index
  • Resources
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Kitchen Laughter Recipes Blog » Vegetables

    Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa

    Published: Apr 4, 2021 · Modified: Feb 2, 2023 by Jason C · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Share
    Pin81
    81 Shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Grilled Black Bean and Corn Salsa combines the mild flavors of grilled corn, Roma tomatoes and black beans to create the perfect appetizer for a cookout or game day. You are in charge of how much heat you want to add! 

    grilled corn and black bean salsa packed with fresh vegetables in a bowl and corn chips on the table.
    This Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa will be the Hit of the BBQ
    Contents hide
    1 🍽️ Why This Recipe Works
    2 🌽 Ingredients
    3 🔥 Grilling Instructions
    4 📌 Substitutions
    5 👨‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
    6 Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa

    When it’s time to entertain, it is so much fun to offer a variety of dishes that aren’t always the typical “chips and salsa.” You want your appetizers to stand out and take notice. This is the time you want to take a bit more time to give your friends a layered, charred flavor that is mild and addicting. The sweet corn mixed with the black beans give the salsa a mild base. Bringing in your own choice of peppers will determine where on the heat scale you want to go. 

    🍽️ Why This Recipe Works

    • It’s a healthy recipe that is loaded with lots of important nutrients.
    • Easy to make.
    • Due to the fresh food, it is so light and refreshing.
    • Can easily be customized to be spicier. One way to do that is to use the Grilled Mexican Street Corn instead of standard corn.
    • It will win over even the toughest crowds.
    • Use this in other recipes that call for salsas as a substitute like the Tex Mex Flank Steak or the Chicken Leg Quarters w/Pico.

    🌽 Ingredients 

    ingredient photo of all the vegetables on a white table with labels.
    Fresh and Delicious Vegetables

    Sweet White Corn – Ears of corn can be found at grocery stores and farmers markets for a good part of the summer. When you are buying the corn, make sure to pull back the husks a little bit to make sure the corn is good. 

    Jalapeño – We tend to pick a traditional jalapeño pepper rather than the hotter Serrano peppers. These are the thick skinned ones that are about three inches long and are added to so many dishes. If you pick up the red variety, it will be a bit milder. 

    Note: When you are working with jalapeños, it’s best to remember that the heat is found in the seeds so you have full control over the amount of heat you have in your dish. We like to add a few seeds to pump it up just a tad bit. The other thing to think about is that the jalapeños become more mild as they grill. So, if you really want to crank up the heat, I would recommend you skip the grilling.

    Roma Tomatoes – Romas are great in salsas as they are firm and have less pulp inside of them. Unless I am making a traditional blender style salsa that uses a can of San Marino tomatoes, I stick to the classic roma. 

    Red Onion – Red onions are mild onions and are great to use with salsas. You can alternatively use a sweet onion. If you use a regular cooking onion, it will compete with the jalapeno and not have that mild/spicy complexity you are looking for in each bite of your salsa. 

    🔥 Grilling Instructions

    step by step instructions to grill corn, then the vegetables, mix and turn into a corn salsa.
    Simple Instructions to Grill Corn and Veggies

    Step One: Heat up the grill to 400 degrees on direct heat. Place ears of corn on the grill for 10 minutes to char the outside. Turn them over and grill for 4-7 more minutes. You are looking for a charred, crispy outside husk. 

    Step Two: Pull back the husks of corn along with any strings and grill for 3-5 minutes to get the nice char on the kernels. Remove from the grill and allow to cool. 

    Step Three: Cut the corn off of the ears and place into a bowl. 

    Step Four: Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the juices and seeds using a kitchen spoon. Spray olive oil on and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut the peppers and red onions in half, spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spray the jalapeño with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper as well. Grill them at 400 degrees for about ten minutes and turn half way through. Allow them to cool before cutting up. 

    Note: Grill the tomatoes for just 4-5 minutes.  If you grill longer than that, they become too soft.  You really just want the nice sear marks. Test out a couple and see if you like the texture. I left them on too long the first time and calibrated accordingly when it came time for this recipe. 

    Step Five: Cut up the tomatoes, pepper, red onion and jalapeños once they cool and add to the bowl with the corn. 

    Step Six: Combine the corn, tomatoes, pepper, red onion, black beans, lime juice, garlic and cilantro. 

    Step Seven: Add avocado, as desired. Toss to combine and serve with chips. 

    PRO TIP: You can use frozen ears of corn in the spring and fall. Defrost and grill for 10-14 minutes. The corn will be charred as they are exposed to the heat for the entire time. Alternatively, cook the corn for less time if you like the added crunch! 

    📌 Substitutions

    You can do a lot with this recipe to mix it up and change it out.

    Peppers – Change out the peppers to give the salsa more or less heat. Remember that if you add the seeds, that is really going to add to the temperature. 

    Red/Green/Yellow Peppers – Add more peppers or remove them altogether. For this recipe we chose one purplish one we picked up from the farmers market. 

    Beans – Add in different beans like a tri color or garbanzo beans. Optionally, leave the beans out. I liked having the extra protein in the dish.

    👨‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

    What Do I Serve With Corn And Black Bean Salsa?

    Naturally, you can eat it with your favorite tortilla chips, but there are other ways that are great too. You can add it to all your favorite Mexican dishes like tacos, burritos, or enchiladas. Or add it on top of a helping of nachos for a little extra pizzazz.

    You can even add it to lettuce and eat it as a light and refreshing wrap—top grilled chicken or salmon with it. Basically, there are no wrong ways to eat this recipe.

    How Do You Store Leftover Salsa?

    Keep it airtight, and it will last 5-7 days in the fridge. You may want to add a little bit of salt and some extra lime juice right before serving to liven it back up.

    Can You Freeze Black Bean Salsa?

    Sure! Again, it will need to be airtight, but it will last 2-3 months in the freezer. Be sure to place it in the fridge overnight, so it has time to thaw out before serving.

    top down view of bowl of grilled corn and black bean salsa with chips on the table.
    It’s as Delicious as it is Gorgeous!

    Related Recipes 

    • Grilled Beer Corn on the Cob
    • Beer Corn Crack Dip
    • Smoked Salmon Dip
    • Beer and Smoked Cheese Dip with Homemade Pretzel Bites

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

    grilled corn and black bean salsa packed with fresh vegetables in a bowl and corn chips on the table.

    Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa

    This recipe uses the deep, rich flavors from the grill to create a phenomenal black bean and corn salsa that will become a family favorite.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 109kcal
    Author: Jason

    Ingredients

    Corn Husks

    • 3 ears Corn keep the husks on
    • Spray Olive Oil
    • Salt and Pepper to taste
    • 3 Roma Tomatoes chopped after grilling
    • 1 Pepper we used a purple one but red, yellow or green will work, chopped after grilling
    • 1 can Black Beans strained
    • 1 Jalapeño chopped after grilling
    • ½ Red Onion chopped after grilling
    • ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
    • 2 Limes juiced

    Instructions

    Grill the Corn

    • Heat the grill to 400 degrees over direct heat. Grill the corn with the husks still on for about 10-12 minutes or until charred. Allow to cool and slide back the husks.
    • Grill the corn for an additional 5 minutes over the grill grate to char the corn kernels.
    • Once cooled, cut the corn off of each ear and put in a bowl.

    Grill the Other Vegetables

    • Cut the Roma tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Cut the pepper in half and remove the seeds. Cut the onion in half (you will only be using 1/2 of the onion though) and spray everything with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place everything including the jalapeño on the grill to char and/or blister for about 10 minutes.
    • Turn the vegetables over half way through (at about 5 mintues)

    Prepare the Black Bean and Corn Salsa

    • Combine the black beans, chopped up tomatoes, corn, garlic, cilantro and jalapeno into a bowl and combine. Stir in the juice of two limes and combine.
    • Serve immediately with chips or you can store in the refrigerator for up to two days.

    Notes

    Substitute: Substitute the black beans for whatever beans you would like. 
    Calories: The calorie content does not include avocado which is mentioned. This recipe does not include the calories on chips either.
    Jalapeños: Jalapeños become more mild as the are blistered on the grill, so you might want to save some seeds or increase the amount of you use if you like more of a kick. As it is now, it is a nice, mild Black Bean Corn Salsa. We added seeds to ours to punch up the heat! 
    Storage: Keep it airtight, and it will last 5-7 days in the fridge. You may want to add a little bit of salt and some extra lime juice right before serving to liven it back up. 
    Freezer Friendly: Everything in this recipe is freezer friendly so this can be kept safe for up to 2-3 months in a sealed container. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 509IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @kitchenlaughter or tag #kitchenlaughter!
    Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa
    Share
    Pin81
    81 Shares
    « Grilled Chicken with Pico de Gallo
    How to Make Grilled Brown Sugar Salmon »

    Primary Sidebar

    Family Photo Join us as we fire up the 30 years of backyard grill and smoker experience to create recipes for your family and friends where memories are made. Learn more about us...

    Join the Kitchen Laughter Crew!

    Subscribe to get exclusive deals, tips, and the lastest info you need to step up your grilling game!

      We won't send you spam, but you can unsubscribe at any time. :-)

      Powered By ConvertKit
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest

      Most Popular Posts

      grilled whole Spanish Mackerel stuffed with Garlic on the Grill.

      Whole Grilled Spanish Mackerel

      fillet of pacific rockfish topped with fresh herbs and brown butter.

      Grilled Brown Butter Wild Pacific Rockfish

      aluminum pan filled with hot dog burnt ends on the grill.

      Hot Dog Burnt Ends

      whole head of cauliflower in a cast iron skillet in front of the big green egg.

      Smoked Cauliflower

      Beer Can Chicken Fresh off the Grill

      Grilled Beer Can Chicken

      smoked pork roast on a cutting board with a salad and sweet potatoes.

      Smoked Pork Roast

      Smoking Bacon on the Big Green Egg

      How to Home Cure and Smoke Bacon

      steelhead fillet on a sheet pan with two pads on an herbed butter.

      Grilled Steelhead Trout with Herb Butter

      graphic showing publications that kitchen laughter was featured in.
      • Home
      • About Us
      • Recipe Index
      • Resources

      Footer

      About

      • Privacy Policy
      • Disclaimer
      • Accessibility Policy

      Contact

      • Contact

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.